#Dengue strikes early in #Delhi, three cases in Jan

New Delhi, Jan 22 (PTI) It is January, but at least three people have already been diagnosed with dengue in the national capital, the first reported cases this year.

Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between mid-July and November-end, but this period may stretch up to mid-December.

“Three cases of dengue have been reported till January 20. However, no cases of malaria or chikungunya have been reported,” according to a municipal report released today.

There were no cases of any vector-borne disease till January 13.

At least 10 people died in Delhi due to dengue last year, according to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which tabulates the data for the entire city.

The vector-borne disease had affected 9,271 people here in 2017.

Five of the 10 victims were not Delhi residents, but had died in the national capital.

The official toll maintained by the Delhi municipal authorities till December 26 stood at four, even though some hospitals had reported a few more deaths due to dengue.

The mosquito-borne tropical disease had claimed its first victim in the city last year on August 1, when a 12-year-old boy died of dengue shock syndromes at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH).

Three more deaths were reported in October by the SDMC.